The Chronicles of Riddick franchise kicked off at the turn of the century in the year 2000, born from the minds of creators Ken and Jim Wheat. Since its inception, it has delivered three live-action films, an animated film, as well as multiple video games, comics, and novelizations.
The sci-fi series follows antihero Richard B. Riddick, portrayed by Vin Diesel, who is a criminal and fugitive who goes on adventures throughout the galaxy after a tense escape from prison in the first film.
With a fourth live-action entry in the Riddick franchise set to begin filming some time this year, it may be high time to revisit the cult classic sci-fi series and get a rewatch in before Riddick 4: Furya. Either that, or you’re a newcomer to Riddick’s adventures, but are drawn in by Vin Diesel’s starpower which came as a result of the ludicrous success of The Fast and the Furious franchise. In either case, here’s how to go about jumping in.
The best Riddick viewing order
Thankfully, watching the Riddick films in order is a fairly straightforward affair, with the franchise’s chronology unfolding in the same sequence that the films released in. If you’re looking for some extra homework, we’ve thrown the direct-to-DVD animated short film Dark Fury into the mix, if you’re inclined to bridge the gap between the first two films.
- Pitch Black (2000)
- The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
- Riddick (2013)
While you can happily get away with watching the three live-action films on their own, The Chronicles of Riddick franchise does also have multiple video games and motion comics that help flesh out the world, if you’re so inclined. We wouldn’t blame you if you did, given that we still have no concrete idea as to when exactly we’re getting the next Riddick film, given that Vin Diesel has only ever given vague hints about it for the better part of a decade.
As of writing, all three Riddick films are available to stream on Netflix now.